Sleep Loss Is Bad For Your Health

It’s now more clear than ever that a solid night’s sleep is absolutely essential for a long and healthy life.

Issues With Poor Sleep

Here are some obvious and some perhaps surprising effects of sleep loss.

Sleep Loss Muddles Your Thinking

Sleep plays a critical role in thinking, learning, retention, and recall. Lack of sleep hurts these cognitive processes in many ways. First, it impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem-solving. This makes it more difficult to learn efficiently.

Second, during the night, various sleep cycles play a role in “consolidating” memories in our minds. If you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be able to remember what you learned and experienced during the day.

Sleepiness Makes You Forgetful

Are you trying to keep your memory sharp? Try getting plenty of sleep.

In 2009, American and French researchers determined that brain events called “sharp wave ripples” are responsible for consolidating memory. These ripples also transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex of the brain, where long-term memories are stored. It is important to note that these sharp wave ripples occur mostly during the deepest levels of sleep.

Sleep Loss is Harmful to Your Health

Sleep disorders and chronic sleep loss can put you at risk for:

• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Irregular heartbeat
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Diabetes

According to some estimates, 90% of people with insomnia; a sleep disorder characterized by trouble falling and staying asleep and often accompanied by other health conditions.

Sleepiness Causes Accidents

Sleep deprivation was a factor in some of the biggest disasters in recent history: the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the massive Exxon Valdez oil spill, the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, and others. 

But sleep loss is also a big public safety hazard every day on the road. Drowsiness can slow reaction time as much as driving drunk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that fatigue is a cause of 100,000 auto crashes and 1,550 crash-related deaths a year in the US The problem is greatest among people under 25 years old.

Studies show that sleep loss and poor-quality sleep also lead to accidents and injuries on the job. In one study, workers who complained about excessive daytime sleepiness had significantly more work accidents, particularly repeated work accidents. They also had more sick days per accident.

Lack of Sleep Diminishes Your Sex Drive

Sleep specialists say that sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in sex. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be primarily to blame.

For men with sleep apnea, a respiratory problem that interrupts sleep, there may be another factor in the sexual slump amongst other health issues. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2002 suggests that many men with sleep apnea also have low testosterone levels. In the study, nearly half of the men who suffered from severe sleep apnea also secreted abnormally low levels of testosterone during the night.

Poor Sleep Leads to Depression

Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression. In a 2005 Sleep in America poll, people who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety were more likely to sleep less than six hours at night.

The most common sleep disorder, insomnia, has the strongest link to depression. In a 2007 study of 10,000 people, those with insomnia were five times as likely to develop depression as those without. In fact, insomnia is often one of the first symptoms of depression.

Insomnia and depression feed on each other. Sleep loss often aggravates the symptoms of depression, and depression can make it more difficult to fall asleep. On the positive side, treating sleep problems can help depression and its symptoms, and vice versa.

Lack of Sleep Ages Your Skin

Most people have experienced sallow skin and puffy eyes after a few nights of missed sleep. But it turns out that chronic sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes.

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic.

Sleep loss also causes the body to release too little human growth hormone. When we’re young, the human growth hormone promotes growth. As we age, it helps increase muscle mass, thicken skin, and strengthen bones.

“It’s during deep sleep — what we call slow-wave sleep — that growth hormone is released,” says sleep expert Phil Gehrman, PhD. “It seems to be part of normal tissue repair — patching the wear and tear of the day.”

Losing Sleep Can Make You Gain Weight

When it comes to body weight, it may be that if you snooze, you lose. Lack of sleep seems to be related to an increase in hunger and appetite, and possibly to obesity. According to a 2004 study, people who sleep less than six hours a day were almost 30 percent more likely to become obese than those who slept seven to nine hours.

Recent research has focused on the link between sleep and the peptides that regulate appetite. Ghrelin stimulates hunger and leptin signals satiety to the brain and suppresses appetite. Shortened sleep time is associated with decreases in leptin and elevations in ghrelin.

Not only does sleep loss appear to stimulate the appetite. It also stimulates cravings for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods. Ongoing studies are considering whether adequate sleep should be a standard part of weight loss programs.

Lack of Sleep May Increase Risk of Death

In the “Whitehall II Study,” British researchers looked at how sleep patterns affected the mortality of more than 10,000 British civil servants over two decades. The results, published in 2007, showed that those who had cut their sleep from seven to five hours or fewer a night nearly doubled their risk of death from all causes. In particular, lack of sleep doubled the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Sleep Loss Impairs Judgment, Especially About Sleep

Lack of sleep can affect our interpretation of events. This hurts our ability to make sound judgments because we may not assess situations accurately and act on them wisely.

Sleep-deprived people seem to be especially prone to poor judgment when it comes to assessing what lack of sleep is doing to them. In our increasingly fast-paced world, functioning on less sleep has become a kind of badge of honor. But sleep specialists say if you think you’re doing fine on less sleep, you’re probably wrong. And if you work in a profession where it’s important to be able to judge your level of functioning, this can be a big problem.

“Studies show that over time, people who are getting six hours of sleep, instead of seven or eight, begin to feel that they’ve adapted to that sleep deprivation — they’ve gotten used to it,” Gehrman says. “But if you look at how they actually do on tests of mental alertness and performance, they continue to go downhill. So there’s a point in sleep deprivation when we lose touch with how impaired we are.”

Benefits of Proper Sleep

Here are some ways in which a good night’s sleep can improve your health:

Sleep boosts immunity

If you seem to catch every cold and flu that’s going around, your bedtime could be to blame. Prolonged lack of sleep can disrupt your immune system, so you’re less able to fend off bugs.

Sleep can slim you

Sleeping less may mean you put on weight! Studies have shown that people who sleep less than 7 hours a day tend to gain more weight and have a higher risk of becoming obese than those who get 7 hours of slumber.

It’s believed to be because sleep-deprived people have reduced levels of leptin (the chemical that makes you feel full) and increased levels of ghrelin (the hunger-stimulating hormone). Your mind will be sharper, and your memory more fresh and clear.

Sleep boosts mental wellbeing

Given that a single sleepless night can make you irritable and moody the following day, it’s not surprising that chronic sleep debt may lead to long-term mood disorders like depression and anxiety.

When people with anxiety or depression were surveyed to calculate their sleeping habits, it turned out that most of them slept for less than 6 hours a night.

Sleep prevents diabetes

Studies have suggested that people who usually sleep less than 5 hours a night have an increased risk of developing diabetes.

It seems that missing out on deep sleep may lead to type 2 diabetes by changing the way the body processes glucose, which the body uses for energy.

Sleep increases sex drive

Men and women who don’t get enough quality sleep have lower libidos and less of an interest in sex, research suggests.

Men who suffer from sleep apnoea – a disorder in which breathing difficulties lead to interrupted sleep – also tend to have lower testosterone levels, which can lower libido.

Sleep wards off heart disease

Long-standing sleep deprivation seems to be associated with increased heart rate, an increase in blood pressure, and higher levels of certain chemicals linked with inflammation, which may put extra strain on your heart.

Sleep increases fertility

Difficulty conceiving a baby has been claimed as one of the effects of sleep deprivation in both men and women. Apparently, regular sleep disruptions can cause trouble conceiving by reducing the secretion of reproductive hormones.

How To Improve Your Sleep

Here is a huge list of things for you to consider in trying to improve your sleep.

Changes To Your Everyday Routine

• Increase bright light exposure during the day. Your body has a natural time-keeping clock known as your circadian rhythm (13, 14Trusted Source). It affects your brain, body, and hormones, helping you stay awake and telling your body when it’s time to sleep (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).
• Don’t drink alcohol. Having a couple of drinks at night can negatively affect your sleep and hormones. Alcohol is known to cause or increase the symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring, and disrupted sleep patterns (70Trusted Source, 71Trusted Source). It also alters nighttime melatonin production, which plays a key role in your body’s circadian rhythm (72Trusted Source, 73Trusted Source, 74Trusted Source, 75Trusted Source).
• Eat regular meals every day: Going to bed hungry may keep you up wanting a snack, while too much food can keep you up with indigestion. This sleep hygiene tip has been known to help those recovering from insomnia.
• Limit how much you drink at night, as this reduces how often you wake up to use the bathroom.
• Reduce bedtime snacking: This could lead to acid reflux, keeping you awake. If you have to have a snack, try something light and non-acidic.
• Get enough protein: A university of Purdue study found adults who consumed more protein daily had better sleep quality.
• Eat the right foods to help you fall asleep: These include kiwis, turkey, almonds, fatty fish, walnuts, and white rice.
• Try these Midnight Cookies: They are high in tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps boost serotonin and melatonin to help you sleep better.
• Golden milk: Studies have shown turmeric suppresses inflammation and can prevent sleep deprivation. Mixing it with milk is delicious and great for bedtime.

Maintain Good Health

• Rule out a sleep disorder. An underlying health condition may be the cause of your sleep problems. One common issue is sleep apnea, which causes inconsistent and interrupted breathing. People with this disorder repeatedly stop breathing while sleeping (104Trusted Source, 105Trusted Source). This condition may be more common than you think. One review claimed that 24% of men and 9% of women have sleep apnea (106Trusted Source). Other common medically diagnosed issues include sleep movement disorders and circadian rhythm sleep/wake disorders, which are common in shift workers (107Trusted Source, 108Trusted Source).
• Get enough exercise: Walking 150 minutes a week helps those with insomnia sleep better.
• On that note, avoid exercising within three hours or so before bedtime. Regular exercise can help reduce anxiety and stress levels, helping you to sleep better. However, if you do exercise within three hours of bedtime, endorphins from exercise can keep you up.
• Do not consume caffeinated products: Drinking coffee, tea, or soda in the evening can prevent you from falling asleep.
• Refrain from smoking, and other drugs use: Stimulants make it difficult to fall and remain asleep.
• Visit the chiropractor: They can recommend sleep positions and pillows to help you sleep better for your body’s specific needs.

Mental Wellness

• CBT (Cognitive behavior therapy) is a comprehensive therapy that targets your cause of insomnia. Getting to the emotional root of sleep disturbance can address emotional baggage and lead to more mental wellness benefits.
• Practice forgiveness: If you can’t turn off arguments in your head, practicing forgiveness allows your mind to settle down so you can sleep. Thinking or speaking aloud to those who have hurt you in the past or even in the previous day can help you settle the day’s concerns.
• Use red nightlights if you need to get up to go to the bathroom. You won’t expose your eyes to full light, making it harder to fall back asleep. Red-tinged lights are less disturbing than white or blue, and can further help you get back to sleep.
• Before bed, mentally plan your responsibilities for tomorrow: You might choose to write a list or journal — do whatever it takes to avoid thinking about it when you should be trying to get to sleep.
• Avoid really intense or scary movies: For those who have a hard time sleeping on Sunday night in anticipation of work on Monday morning, controlling the urge to worry can be powerful. Set aside time to allow yourself to worry instead of worrying the whole day. Once your time’s up, shift your focus to something you enjoy to take your mind off of it.
• Meditation: Allows your mind to relax, leading to a better quality of sleep.
• Write in a journal: Doing so allows you to clear out your mind and process your feelings instead of them racing through your mind as you try to fall asleep.

Stick to a Daily Schedule

• Reduce irregular or long daytime naps. While short power naps are beneficial, long or irregular napping during the day can negatively affect your sleep. Sleeping in the daytime can confuse your internal clock, meaning that you may struggle to sleep at night (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source).
• Try to sleep and wake at consistent times. Your body’s circadian rhythm functions on a set loop, aligning itself with sunrise and sunset. Being consistent with your sleep and waking times can aid long-term sleep quality (42Trusted Source). One study noted that participants who had irregular sleeping patterns and went to bed late on the weekends reported poor sleep (43Trusted Source).
• Sleep restriction: Tightening up your sleep schedule and reducing your opportunity for sleep can force your body to stay on schedule in order to make time for a full night’s rest. Maintain a tight sleeping schedule with no wiggle room for naps for at least two weeks.
• Chrono rhythm: Your chronotype concerns your alertness and activity during the day. Knowing your rhythm can help you sleep better and identify the best times of the day for activity, as well as give you insight into your eating patterns.

Understand Light and Temperature

• Light therapy lamps: You can use these to treat sleep disorders and irregular circadian rhythms such as Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome.
• Spend time outside in the light each day: Research has shown that getting enough vitamin D during the day is a part of good sleep hygiene. Time outside is actually clinically proven to help you sleep.
• “Experience Both Daylight and Darkness”: As important as daylight exposure is, your body’s experience with both light AND dark helps you stay alert while exposing your body to darkness can help you sleep. Light and darkness play a role in managing your sleep-wake cycle.
• Try showering at night: Doing so one to two hours before bedtime can regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, which also relies on temperature.

Before Bedtime Practices

•  Don’t eat late in the evening. Eating late at night may negatively affect both sleep quality and the natural release of HGH and melatonin (88Trusted Source, 89Trusted Source, 90Trusted Source, 91Trusted Source, 92Trusted Source). That said, the quality and type of your late-night snack may play a role as well. In one study, a high carb meal eaten 4 hours before bed helped people fall asleep faster (93Trusted Source). Interestingly, one study discovered that a low carb diet also improved sleep, indicating that carbs aren’t always necessary, especially if you’re used to a low carb diet (94Trusted Source).
• Don’t consume caffeine late in the day. Caffeine has numerous benefits and is consumed by 90% of the US population (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source). A single dose can enhance focus, energy, and sports performance (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).
• Reduce blue light exposure in the evening. Exposure to light during the day is beneficial, but nighttime light exposure has the opposite effect (21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source). Again, this is due to its effect on your circadian rhythm, tricking your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. This reduces hormones like melatonin, which helps you relax and get deep sleep (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).
• Wind down: Devote your last waking hour every night to a calm period where you can have a light carbohydrate snack before bed.
• Nighttime yoga/stretching: Yoga reduces stress, which can help you sleep better. Three poses you can try to include standing forward bend, corpse pose (Savasana), and Child’s Pose (Balasana).
• Take a stress-reducing nighttime bath to help improve blood flow and induce sleepiness.
• Wear blue light blocking glasses in the evening. Blue light interrupts your circadian rhythm’s go-to-sleep signals. Accordingly, blocking blue light helps your eyes relax and gives your body a fighting chance to get to bed on time.
• Go for a light nighttime walk to help your body reduce stress and anxiety. Just make sure not to get your heart rate going too fast, as that can be counterproductive around bedtime.
• Hydrate: Going to sleep hydrated prevents dry mouth or muscle cramps, both of which contribute to poor sleep quality.
• Dress in moisture-wicking materials: If you’re a sweaty sleeper, wicking material can keep you comfortable and prevent you from getting up to change.

Optimize Your Sleep Environment

• Optimize your bedroom environment. Many people believe that the bedroom environment and its setup are key factors in getting a good night’s sleep. These factors include temperature, noise, external lights, and furniture arrangements (77Trusted Source). Numerous studies point out that external noise, often from traffic, can cause poor sleep and long-term health issues (78Trusted Source, 79Trusted Source, 80Trusted Source).
  • Redesign your bedroom: Make your bedroom your calming sanctuary that’s clean and comfortable. Is there a floodlight outside your window? Does the morning sun hit you right in the eyes? Now’s the time to switch things up.
  • Add plants to the bedroom: Not only do plants liven up a space to make it feel homier, but certain plants have anxiety-relieving or air-purifying effects than may help you get a better night’s sleep.
  • Add a cozy rug: Place a cozy rug at the foot of your bed or the side you normally step in on. It will be the last surface your feet touch before you get into bed and can help you feel comfortable at bedtime.
  • Turn down the thermostat: Finding your balance could be tricky, but a good rule of thumb is keeping your thermostat between 60°F and 67°F.
  • Make sure that your bedroom is dark and quiet: Use blackout curtains to keep the light out to limit sleep disruptions.
  • Having a humidifier can remove bacteria and allergens from the air, keeping your throat and sinuses comfortable.
• Try a weighted pillow: A weighted pillow or lap pad can be used to apply pressure to areas that carry stress.
• Use a wedge pillow: According to research, the triangular foam can reduce sleep apnea, heartburn, and other sleep disruptions.
• Body pillows can also double as comfortable snuggling companions that keep you feel cozy and ready to fall asleep.
• Update your mattress: The perfect mattress helps you sleep more comfortably and won’t wake you up in the middle of the night because it’s irritating your back or side. If your mattress is older than 10 years — or if it’s simply not the right one for you — it’s probably time to choose something new.
• Breathable, high-quality sheets can keep you cooler and more comfortable. Organic cotton, for example, is a more breathable bedding material.
• Use a sleep tracker app: Many smartwatches include these apps that track your sleep patterns and notify you how often you wake up and stay asleep. You can tie your wake times back to your environment to see why you’re tossing and turning at night.
• Sleep with a pillow between your legs: This helps reduce back and hip pain and keeps your spine in proper alignment.
• Keep hands and feet cozy: Cold feet and hands might make it difficult for you to fall asleep. Wearing cozy socks make you comfortable and are good predictors of rapid sleep onset.
• Use a “do not disturb” sign to let others in your home know when you’re asleep. This is an especially good trick if you work abnormal shifts.

Sleep and Technology

• Turn off electronics 1 hour before bedtime: It helps to ‘destimulate’ your mind, maintains your sleep-wake cycle, and achieve REM sleep.
• Listen to an audiobook: Listening to an audio novel from Audible can calm your mind. Bonus: you can listen with the lights off for a smoother transition from wake to sleep.
• Listen to a sleep podcast: Hosts typically have warm, calming voices and talk about things that are entertaining but not distracting. Some of our favorites include Sleep with Me, Slow Radio, and Sleep Whispers.
• Sound Asleep Pillow: Not only is this Bluetooth speaker pillow comfortable, but it also connects to an app on your phone, which is compatible with a ton of different apps like Spotify, Audiobooks, and Apple Music.
• Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): These stimuli focus on simple sounds such as water or whispering, which can soothe you to sleep. We recommend checking out these YouTube channels for audio and visual: Gibi ASMR, ASMR Darling, and Gentle Whispering are three to check out.
• Use a white noise app: White noise encompasses all sounds from trickling water to nature to help calm your mind. There are tons of great white noise apps and white noise machines if you want to disengage with your phone at night.
• The Dodow is an innovative pulsing night light that leads the rhythm with your breathing to help you relax.
• Anti-snoring self-adjusting pillow: This pillow uses sensors to detect when you’re snoring then moves your head to a better position to help you breathe and sleep better.

Supplements May Help

(Speak to your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements, to ensure they’re right for you.)

• Take a melatonin supplement. Melatonin is a key sleep hormone that tells your brain when it’s time to relax and head to bed (46Trusted Source). Melatonin supplements are an extremely popular sleep aid. Often used to treat insomnia, melatonin may be one of the easiest ways to fall asleep faster (47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source).
• CBD: This non-intoxicating extract can reduce pain and anxiety levels, and may even help users fall asleep and stay asleep.
• Ginkgo biloba: A natural herb with many benefits, it may aid sleep, relaxation, and stress reduction, but the evidence is limited. Take 250 mg 30–60 minutes before bed (51Trusted Source).
• Glycine: A few studies show that taking 3 grams of the amino acid glycine can improve sleep quality (52Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source, 54).
• Valerian root: Several studies suggest that valerian can help you fall asleep and improve sleep quality. Take 500 mg before bed (55Trusted Source, 56Trusted Source, 57Trusted Source).
• Magnesium: Responsible for over 600 reactions within your body, magnesium can improve relaxation and enhance sleep quality (58Trusted Source, 59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source). Magnesium can activate the neurotransmitters responsible for helping you sleep.
• L-theanine: An amino acid, L-theanine, can improve relaxation and sleep. Take 100–200 mg before bed (61Trusted Source, 62Trusted Source). 
• Lavender: A powerful herb with many health benefits, lavender can induce a calming and sedentary effect to improve sleep. Take 80–160 mg containing 25–46% linalool (63Trusted Source, 64Trusted Source, 65Trusted Source, 66Trusted Source, 67Trusted Source, 68Trusted Source, 69Trusted Source).
• GABA inhibits some neurotransmitters and allows the central nervous system to relax.
• 5 HTP boosts your body’s serotonin production, which plays a role in the sleep cycle.
• Theanine is an amino acid that can have sedative effects.

Try Natural Options

• CBD Blanket: If you’d prefer not to ingest CBD, Curfew claims to have made the world’s first CBD blanket, which is intended to work like the CBD mentioned above.
• Essential oils and aromatherapy: Some use lavender scented essential oils as a sleep aid due to its calming properties. You can apply small amounts directly to your wrists and behind your ears, put it in a diffuser, or even use an inexpensive reed oil diffuser near your bed.
• Certain teas like Chamomile have a calming effect while Valerian Root can act as a sedative.
• There are several major acupressure points that, when stimulated, can help you feel more relaxed at night, including on the wrist and leg.
• Acupuncture: Is a practice that restores the body, relieves pain, and eases stress, making it easier for you to fall asleep.
• The art and science of acupuncture (especially in combination with herbs) is also shown to aid insomnia.

Actually Getting to Sleep

• Relax your mind: Relax and clear your mind in the evening. Many people have a pre-sleep routine that helps them relax. Relaxation techniques before bed have been shown to improve sleep quality and are another common technique used to treat insomnia (95Trusted Source, 96Trusted Source, 97Trusted Source). In one study, a relaxing massage improved sleep quality in people who were ill (98Trusted Source). Strategies include listening to relaxing music, reading a book, taking a hot bath, meditating, deep breathing, and visualization.
• Cuddle up: Snuggling releases chemicals that improve your mood, reduce stress, and helps you sleep.
• Read a book in bed make you sleepy: Studies show reading before sleep helps you reduce stress levels by up to 68%.
• Read to your children: Read a calming bedtime story to your kids for some nice bonding time, and can be a relaxing bedtime activity to include in your nightly routine.
• Use the US Army Fall Asleep in 2 Minutes Tactic: This breathing and relaxation technique helped 96% of people sleep better, learn more about it here.
• Weighted blankets can reduce anxiety and stress levels, helping you to fall asleep quicker. Best of all, they are easy to make for you DIYers with this handy guide.
• Use a sleep mask to minimize light disruptions. A weighted sleep mask applies the pressure that, much like a weighted blanket, helps your body relax.
• Sleep naked: Clothes can disrupt your body’s ability to lower your temperature at night, especially if you’re a hot sleeper, resulting in sleep disruptions.
• Breathing exercises: The 4-7-8 breathing method relaxes the nervous system.
• Try allowing your pet in bed: Snuggling next to your furry companion could lead to better sleep. Conversely, if your pet normally sleeps with you and you’re not sleeping well throughout the night, consider keeping them out of bed to limit disruption from their movements at night.
• Change your sleep position (back, stomach, side): Switching up your sleeping position can help you breathe better and sleep more soundly. Side sleepers usually get the best rest on mattresses with a softer profile, while back and stomach sleepers tend to like firmer beds because they offer more of the support they need.
• Swaddling isn’t just for babies: Adult swaddling can be a soothing way to relax muscles and induce sleepiness.
• If you can’t avoid TV at night (see our note about blue light), try a soothing program, so you don’t feel compelled to pay close attention to the plot. Some favorites on Netflix: Our Planet, Night on Earth, and Disneynature Oceans. Here are six other show suggestions.
• Use your bed only for sleep & sex: Doing so allows your mind to associate your bed with those two activities only, allowing you to sleep more efficiently over time.
• Progressive muscle relaxation: This exercise involves lightly squeezing then relaxing your muscles to remove tension.
• Make a mental gratitude list: This practice distracts your mind from nervous or anxiety-provoking thoughts that make you feel restless and can help you fall asleep.
• Picture a happy scene: This visualization can create a calming effect and could help you have peaceful dreams.
• Face massage: By yourself or with a partner, practice giving each other facial massages. Researchers have compared it to meditation, as it can help refresh the body and mind.
• Don’t just lie there: If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and practice a calming activity before trying to go back to bed.
• Watch “oddly satisfying” videos: These delightful videos can reduce stress and help you calm down. Popular topics include soap cutting, hydraulic presses, and playing with slime.
• Blow bubbles: Not only is it fun, but because it requires deep breathing to blow them, you’ll feel calmer.
• Progressive relaxation: Squeeze then relax every muscle in your body, starting with your toes and working your way up.
• Do the Brain Dance: developed by Anne Green Gilbert of the Creative Dance Center, this pattern dance improves cognitive function, reduces stress, and has many more benefits. Learn how to do it here.
• Grounding techniques: To bring your focus away from tomorrow’s anxieties, bringing your attention back to the room you’re in can be as simple as touching an object or saying your name aloud to center your mind.
• Scalp massage: This reduces tension to help you feel calmer and promotes relaxation.
• Art therapy: Art can calm you down, center your mind, and help you sleep. Try some light drawing, painting, or even collaging an hour or an hour and a half before bed.
• Knitting is a great way to calm your mind and can even help you dream better.
• Tapas Acupressure Technique: This technique is proven to remove stress, past traumas, and more.
• Self-hypnosis: Hypnosis enters you into a dream-like trance where you shed stress and anxiety. There are great meditation apps you can choose from, like Declutter the Mind.
• Reverse psychology might be the trick, as a Scottish Study found insomniacs had better luck falling asleep by talking their brain into trying to stay awake.
• Conversely, avoid looking at the clock or obsessing about not getting sleep. It keeps your mind alert and increases anxiety levels.
• Sleep medicine: Medications can treat insomnia and other sleep disorders. 

The Bottom Line

The fact that sleep loss is bad for your health is something we might either dismiss in our mind as not applicable to us, or perhaps we acknowledge it, but we are struggling with it. In any case, it is absolutely essential for our near term function and it plays a very key role in our healthspan and lifespan.  Lack of sleep will have a significant negative impact on our physical (e.g., heart disease, obesity, and inflammation) and mental (e.g., depression and Alzheimer’s) health over time,